Forever
by The Black Flamingo101
Summary: Sequel to "Always." How will Yuu and Hisashi's relationship weather a trip back to Hokkaido to meet Hisashi's parents and confront the ghosts of his past? Will they be strong enough to conquer their own shortcomings? Now rated M.
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone! And welcome to the "Always" sequel :)

I just want to say thank you to everyone who has read, faved, and reviewed the original story and I hope this sequel pleases you guys as much as your reviews pleased me. If you all had not taken the time to tell me that Yuu and Hisashi were worth reading about, this sequel would never have happened. So you all have my eternal gratitude.

This story takes place about half a year after "Always" ended. (And if you are reading Uke Flu, all of this happens directly before that started).

I hope you enjoy and let me know what you like! This promises to be a fun journey for us all.

With love,

The Black Flamingo 101

* * *

_"There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love."—Bryant H. McGill_

**Forever**

**Chapter One: Living Between**

Araki Hisashi stood in the midst of the crowded bookstore, and despite the looks he gathered from other patrons, he continued to glare wholeheartedly at the display in front of him. He couldn't believe the nerve they had, showing off this new publication like a wholesome bestseller.

Well, it _was_ a bestseller. But that didn't mean it deserved all the hype it got. If anything, it deserved the least amount of hype possible. Honestly, out of all the book joints in all the world, WHY did it have to be the one just down the street from his work? If any of the other Shounen assistants ever connected the dots, he'd never hear the end of it.

The blonde swallowed hard, his blue eyes narrowing as he scrutinized the cover of the manga, where a character that looked disturbingly similar to him resided, kissing another boy and blushing.

"Augh…" Hisashi grunted under his breath, half sticking out his tongue in disgust. His eyes drifted down to the title and author's name.

_Always, volume 2 _by Hajime Atsushi.

The name caused a bubble of emotion to rise in the storm of his annoyance, and he briefly allowed his frown to dissolve. He'd always known Atsushi had been talented enough to be published, but he'd never thought that it would be after his death. And despite the content of his work, Hisashi took some amount of pride in the fact that his late best friend had topped the charts immediately upon release. His first volume was a hit, and the second was already flying off the shelves.

Even still, in Hisashi's opinion, Atsushi would be in purgatory for a long time for his crimes, specifically the one about writing a graphic yaoi with his childhood friend as leading uke. Renaka-san would probably spend some time there too, considering she had drawn it and published under her son's name, though Hisashi couldn't quite decide whom he blamed more.

Even still, Hisashi nodded his head respectfully as he finally turned from the display and headed out, furiously ignoring the couple of turned heads he got as he exited the bookstore.

The blonde made it about half way down the street before he mentally slapped himself for going in the wrong direction. He pivoted around, ducking through the crowds as he headed the opposite way, shoving his hands into his blue hoodie pocket. Though in spite of the mixup, it wasn't that unusual that he was so turned around, considering he was living between two places.

Hisashi's hand dug further into his pocket as his cell phone vibrated, and he flipped it open as he stopped at a crosswalk. The name of the sender brought a slight smile to his face, as did the message that asked when he was coming home. Hisashi's smile didn't fade as he replied, stating that he was on his way. The light turned green and Hisashi began to cross the street, making the journey over to his boyfriend's home.

He and Yanase Yuu had been together for nearly seven months now, and as their relationship progressed and changed, so did other aspects of their lives. The biggest one was their living quarters. Although they had toyed with the idea of moving in together, for the meantime they decided to keep Hisashi's apartment for a number of reasons. One, both of them had way too much stuff to fit in one apartment. Two, they had no time to go through their stuff because of an all encompassing work schedule. Three, it was actually quite convenient to have two pads, as when one got too dirty to inhabit (crash on the couch and eat takeout) they could just switch to the other. And four, with the creative exploits of two artists, more space was always prudent, as if one of them decided to go through a Jackson Pollock phase, they could get paint on their own respective carpets and/or walls instead of each other's.

Even though Yuu and he were barely apart, Hisashi hadn't minded the decision in the least. He was getting his apartment dirt-cheap anyways, as a former tenant had died in it and the other residents believed it to be haunted. Hisashi hadn't seen the ghost personally, and was rather disappointed by the fact.

The small blonde rounded the last corner and glanced down the street to Yuu's house, his pace slightly increasing. But more than their living arrangements, the two men themselves had changed over these past seven months. Their relationship had been shifting and growing wonderfully, and Hisashi couldn't recall feeling this content in quite a while. And he was thrilled to see that Yuu was happy as well.

But in spite of his newfound contentment, Hisashi had butterflies pinging around his stomach. Tomorrow's events would be the start of a whole new direction in their lives, and he was both energized and apprehensive.

Hisashi walked up the steps to Yuu's small house, twisting the doorknob and walking inside.

"Yuu, I'm home."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Kitchen Spiders**

"Welcome back," A voice called from the kitchen as Hisashi walked into Yuu's living room. He found his brunette boyfriend sitting on the floor in front of his refrigerator, tossing out some old takeout containers. Yuu turned as Hisashi entered, giving him a teasing smile.

"So what exactly defined Ijuuin's 'emergency?'"

Hisashi rolled his eyes.

"Feet again. Good god, I can't believe how awful his toes are."

"He called you all the way down to work just to draw some toes?

"Apparently. And he's super pissed about us taking a long vacation in the first place," Hisashi muttered, reaching past Yuu to grab a can of cold coffee out of the fridge. "I stopped at the bookstore on the way so that's why I'm a bit late. What are you doing?"

"Just cleaning out the fridge. I don't want some sort of genetically altered mold monster growing in there while we're gone." Yuu grunted, trying to shove more trash into already bulging waste bin. "But everything else is ready and dinner is on its way here. How 'bout you? Are you all packed?"

"Yep. My bags are back at my apartment. I didn't want to run all the way down there tonight."

"No worries." Yuu replied, tying the bag shut. "Your place is on the way to the airport anyway."

"I know," Hisashi replied, his face turning slightly sour. "Though I barely had enough clothes there."

Yuu chuckled.

"You don't have to tell me. There's a pile the size of Jupiter of your stuff in my closet. Living in two places kind of complicates things."

Hisashi shrugged.

"I don't care that much, you have junk in my living room. Besides, I like living with you…well half-living with you at least."

"Is that so?" Yuu grinned as he washed his hands in the sink. "And here I thought you only kept me around because I kill the spiders in your kitchen."

Hisashi wrinkled his nose.

"Hey, they could be poisonous. My dad got bit by a spider once in South America. His leg swelled up like a bratwurst. It was scary and disgusting."

"Hisashi, I can say with absolute certainty that South America is entirely different from Tokyo Japan." Yuu chuckled. "Though I'm definitely gonna ask your dad about that story."

"Believe me," Hisashi sighed. "You don't want to get him started."

Yuu laughed in reply, and tilted his head as Hisashi stared shyly down at the floor. The brunette sauntered over and took the blonde by the waist, pressing their torsos together in half a hug. Yuu leaned forward and kissed Hisashi's cheek, a musing smile still at his lips.

"Are you excited to go, or nervous?"

"A little of both." Hisashi murmured. "I haven't been back to Hokkaido in almost a year. It's kind of unnerving."

"Don't worry." Yuu smiled, giving him another peck. "It'll be fun. And I for one am anxious to see Renaka-san again, and meet your parents." Yuu released his hold and was about to walk back over and shut his fridge when a small voice stopped him.

"Yuu…"

The brunette turned around, his brow creasing as he saw a new twinge of worry take hold in Hisashi's eyes.

"What is it Sashi?"

The blonde swallowed hard, trying to find his words.

"About that…I—uh I need to…ask you something. Could…could we not tell them…right away?"

Yuu stared back at him in recognition.

"You mean that we're boyfriends."

Hisashi nodded with a grimace.

"It's not that I'm ashamed of you or anything like that! I just…I honestly don't know how they'll react. I mean, Renaka-san supports our relationship wholeheartedly but I—"

"Sashi, Sashi." Yuu countered, raising his palm. "Calm down. It's not a big deal."

Hisashi shoved his hands in his hoodie pocket, looking a little unconvinced.

"…You sure?"

"Of course. After all, we keep our relationship under wraps at work."

"Well yeah but…"

"But nothing. This is your family Sashi, and I don't expect you spout everything right off the bat. You do whatever makes you the most comfortable, okay?"

Hisashi's lips twitched with uncertainty, but he nodded. Yuu sighed, walking up and giving him a wily smile.

"And besides, it's probably not the best idea to tell your parents that I took your virginity the first time I meet them."

"Yuu!" Hisashi barked, shoving him away with a slight smile. Yuu chuckled, leaning against the door frame with glittering eyes.

"But you know Sashi, this will present us with a little dilemma."

"Which is?"

"Well, if your parents think we're 'just friends,' chances are we won't get to sleep in the same bed."

That snippet did catch the blonde's attention, and his eyes narrowed irksomely, as that regular habit of theirs he had gotten quite used to.

"And that means if we stay in separate rooms I'm gonna have to sneak all the way over to yours if we want have a little 'fun'…"

"WHAT?" Hisashi gapped, his brow narrowing. "Okay Yuu, new rule. There is NO WAY IN HELL that we are having sex in my parent's house. PERIOD!"

"And why not?" Yuu grinned. Hisashi's mouth dropped further.

"Because it's WEIRD! Absolutely-no-way-not-gonna-happen-in-hell!"

Yuu stuck out his lower lip in a mock pout.

"You're killing me blondie. That means no sex for _three _weeks."

This tidbit also caught Hisashi's attention, and his expression turned slightly sour.

"Well…"

"Then again," Yuu cut in. "We could always spice things up and go to a hotel."

"Maybe…" Hisashi muttered, blushing slightly at all this talk of 'fun.'

"And," Yuu cooed, shifting his trim hips. "We still have one more night before we leave. Feel like doing a little 'experimenting' tonight?"

Hisashi's flush deepened but he slowly nodded, walking past Yuu to throw away his empty coffee can. The doorbell rang in short order, signaling that dinner had arrived, but as they cleaned up the last of the house and sat down to eat, their minds were already on dessert.

* * *

Wow, that T rating sure didn't last long :) Lemon next chapter.

**fauchocolat, Happysunshine29, BlackAmethyst58, cutewalrus, Ari, Annalise Rubisher, YukinaKisaYanaseLVR, my darling Cerberus**- Thank you all for your reviews! Great to see you all again and so so happy your excited for this sequel! ^_^

**Shirasu**- be sure to send me a PM when you publish! :)

**Love and lemons!**

**TBF101**


	3. Chapter 3

**Isn't it funny how the lemon chapter is longer than the first two chapter combined?**

**But then again, I'm inclined that you can tell a lot about a couple through their sex life (or in some cases, lack thereof XD)**

**Just a brief note, this lemon does contain the use of sex toys, and if anyone isn't comfortable with that, I promise the beginning and the end are nice, sexy, and fluffy as well if you want to just skip the middle part.**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter Three: Adventures in 'Fun'**

It was still fairly early in the evening, but in the Yanase/Araki house all the lights had been dimmed. Yuu's bedroom was faintly lit by a single desk lamp as he lay on top of his smaller lover, his tongue slicking and sliding around the blonde's mouth. Hisashi moaned into the kiss, his hands lightly shifting to feel the strong curve of Yuu's back. The brunette's fingers combed into the tangle of blonde curls, slightly gripping as they deepened their oral embrace.

Hisashi lightly panted as Yuu broke their kiss, and the brunette grinned as he saw the blonde's pale cheeks turn pink with arousal. Yuu lowered his mouth down and began sucking on Hisashi's neck, evoking more breathy moans from the uke. Hisashi shifted his parted knees, the action causing their clothed hard ons to grind together. The blonde groaned deeply as Yuu began to move his hips in smooth motions, covering Hisashi's mouth once again with his own.

A few more minutes of teasing foreplay saw Yuu propping himself up onto his knees, staring down musingly at the flushed blonde.

"Having fun?" He grinned, tiptoeing his fingers along Hisashi's skinny thigh. The blonde nodded breathily, closing his eyes and stretching his arms above his head. Yuu shifted off the uke and reached down under the bed, digging around for a couple new items he'd recently bought online. He wondered if Hisashi would go for something like this, but truth be told, they'd done kinkier. Once fact about Hisashi that thrilled Yuu was his willingness to experiment in their sex life. He usually agreed to try everything at least once, though their were a couple things he had vetoed, like the naked-under-the-apron gag (which neither of them could take seriously anyway because they were simply disasters in the kitchen) and dressing up as a neko (because Hisashi was allergic to cats, though Yuu still brought the idea up every now and then because he simply couldn't get the yummy image out of his head. In his mind, Hisashi would make a fucking sexy neko.). However, while some experiments had lead to some freaking awesome sweaty nights, others had been slight disasters, the biggest example on the night they had tried S&M and a blindfolded and handcuffed Hisashi had fallen off the bed and sprained his wrist. Luckily it wasn't his drawing hand, but the blonde had to endure quite a lot of questioning from his coworkers for weeks afterward (and it didn't help that Yuu kept changing the story every time someone asked him).

"What are we doing?" The blonde asked quietly, trying to peek over the side of the bed.

"You'll see soon enough." Yuu smiled. He had located the box but didn't take the toys out quite yet. "But, this time it's gonna be mostly you who benefits."

Hisashi cocked his head curiously, and he sensed another intent as Yuu stripped off his shirt and undid his belt.

"But first," Yuu continued. "Feel like giving a little mouth tonight?"

Hisashi licked his lips hesitantly and nodded, crawling off the bed as Yuu sat down on the edge. He kneeled down on the floor in front of his boyfriend and silently began to undo his jeans. Yuu put his hands behind him and leaned back comfortably, enjoying the view with a slight smile. He recalled the first time Hisashi had blown him a couple months ago. Surprisingly, it didn't take the blonde very long to get comfortable with the act.

Yuu hummed as Hisashi's hand wrapped around his cock and pulled it from underneath his boxers. The blonde shifted closer and slowly spread his tongue over the head before cupping his mouth around it, bobbing his head at low, dragging pace.

Yuu exhaled deeply, shutting his eyes as he lost himself in the pleasure. Even still, he couldn't help but smile. Hisashi was so predictable at times. Never teasing, always point A to point B to point C, his big blue eyes always silently questioning. But it was that same straightforward neuroticism that Yuu found so humorously attractive.

Hisashi's mouth moved a little faster and Yuu brought a hand forward to weave into the flaxen hair, tenderly combing it back. The brunette had been hard for quite a while, and he felt himself getting close to release. He carefully reached his other hand out and took the other side of Hisashi's head, holding it in place. The blonde obediently stopped his attention and braced his shoulders as Yuu began to rock his hips, throaty grunts beginning to spill out of his mouth.

Hisashi breathed heavily through his nose as the pace increased, letting out a light mewl as Yuu came in his mouth, the brunette's grip on his hair only adding to the sensation. The blonde sucked in a deep breath as he slid his mouth off Yuu's lowering cock, swallowing the cum with a slight gulp. The act made Yuu smile breathlessly, and he gently swept his fingers along Hisashi's cheek.

"You don't have to swallow, you know." He chuckled. Hisashi shrugged, not really caring either way. It wasn't like Yuu tasted bad.

The brunette slid his hands under Hisashi's arms and pulled him back up on the bed, spreading his tongue along Hisashi's thin lips. The blonde opened his mouth and they kissed long and deep, their hands hungrily roving over each other's bodies. Hisashi panted for air as Yuu let go, giving a light bite to his neck. The brunette could feel Hisashi's arousal pressing against his stomach, and he thought it was about time to give him some much needed attention.

Yuu reached down and grabbed the box, setting it on the bed and beginning to tear through the tape. Hisashi slid off the bed and undid his tightened jeans, but as he kicked out of them, he caught a glimpse at the contents of the box. His eyes widened and he looked at Yuu with a raised eyebrow.

"A vibrator?"

Yuu smiled, tossing the toy between his hands with a slight shrug.

"I've heard that they can be really good so I thought why not?"

Hisashi stared at the sex toy incredulously, and Yuu's smile faded.

"If it's too much we don't have to." He said.

"No, it's okay." Hisashi replied. "It's just… kind of a weird shape."

Yuu chuckled, going to the nightstand and pulling out a bottle of lube before towing Hisashi back to the bed, fingering the hem of the uke's boxers.

"How…exactly are we gonna do this?" The blonde asked as Yuu slid them off, leaving just his long sleeved shirt. For some reason the uke preferred keeping it on during sex, even if the room wasn't cold. It was a strange sort of comfort thing and Yuu had never pressed the issue.

After tossing the boxers over the side of the bed, Yuu leaned back against the headboard and beckoned Hisashi over, sitting the blonde between his legs and parting Hisashi's knees. As much as he would have loved a frontal view, Yuu knew that not everyone was comfortable around sex toys and he wanted their first time to be relaxed. Even though he didn't wish to stroke his own ego, Yuu figured that Hisashi was so comfortable with their sex life because he'd had taken care of the blonde so well their first time. And the same scruples applied here. If he was gentle, there was a good chance Hisashi would be up for another round. Not to mention the obvious fact that he had no desire to hurt the blonde. If fact, Yuu was quite protective of _his _uke, especially from his own tendencies.

Yuu set the vibrator aside and snaked his hands underneath Hisashi's shirt, starting to massage the thin abdomen and tweak his budded nipples. Hisashi moaned under the touch and sank back against Yuu's chest, closing his eyes with ease. And his gasps increased as Yuu spat into his hand and began to finger his hard cock. Hisashi's shoulders rolled back with pleasure and he tensed as Yuu's hand went further, circling around his pulsing entrance. The brunette stopped briefly to coat his fingers with lube and carefully slid one in, his teeth nibbling at Hisashi's neck.

Yuu took his time preparing the blonde, as he'd also heard that sex toys could sometimes be harder on the recipient than normal penetration. Because of this, he'd chosen a very basic vibrator that wasn't too big. In fact, it was much smaller than his own member.

Hisashi was very much relaxed and aroused with Yuu's expert fingering, and he tilted his head to the side, pressing his lips briefly to the side of his boyfriend's jaw.

"You good?" Yuu asked, even though he could already tell.

"Mhmm." Hisashi grunted, adjusting his parted hips.

"We can stop if it's too rough on you." Yuu said, reaching down and slicking the vibrator with ample amounts of lube. He then handed it to Hisashi, who took it slowly, chewing at his bottom lip.

"How do I work…this thing?" He asked, nervously raising a blonde eyebrow. Yuu reached over and twisted the end, setting it at a lower speed while gently sucking at Hisashi's earlobe.

"It's okay," He cooed. "Just go at your own pace."

Hisashi nodded timidly and positioned the vibrator, slowly touching it to his entrance. A soft sigh escaped his mouth as he felt the rumble of the sex toy pressing against him, and he carefully slid part of it in. The sensation was foreign, but he couldn't deny that it was quite stimulating as well. Within a few minutes, the length of the toy was embedded inside him, sending steady pulses right to his sweet spot. With a slight groan, he withdrew it and pushed it back in, his shoulders tensing in pleasure and his lower body undulating.

Yuu watched unblinkingly as Hisashi moaned and squirmed against him, his hand beginning to move a little faster. Even though he'd come recently, Yuu felt his own cock hardening at the simply delectable display, and genuinely pleased that Hisashi was enjoying it as well.

Ever slowly, Yuu reached down and folded his hand over Hisashi's grip on the toy, turning the speed up a notch. Hisashi jerked forward and moaned at the change, and let Yuu slip his hand off the vibrator and replace it with his own.

The blonde gasped and panted as Yuu began to thrust the toy at a quicker pace, his white hands gripping the sheets as goose bumps peppered his thighs.

"Ah!" He gasped as Yuu perfectly pressed against his sweet spot, the pace deliciously hard. Completely enraptured, Hisashi reached down and stroked his own hard on, but soon found himself close to a climax. But when Yuu's hand didn't stop, the sensation overwhelmed him and he flopped against Yuu's chest, closing his eyes and gasping for breath.

"Can't take anymore?" Yuu murmured, fluttering his tongue inside Hisashi's ear. The blonde gasped and shook his head from side to side, his cock practically bursting.

"All right Sacchan," Yuu cooed. "I'll make you come."

Hisashi grunted as Yuu removed the vibrator and turned it off, flipping Hisashi around and lying him on his back. Hisashi wrapped his arms around Yuu's neck and arched as Yuu slid into him, burying his fingers in the shaky brunette mane. Yuu began to thrust smoothly and deeply, relishing every high cry Hisashi let out. Every time he held the blonde, Yuu was more won over by his pale and quiet demeanor. He had cried out when they used the vibrator, but now he was practically rolling with pleasure, his mouth open and his eyes squinted shut.

And Yuu couldn't describe how fulfilled it made him to think that _he_ was the one giving Hisashi this.

Hisashi flopped down bonelessly as he came, the loudest moan of the evening flying past his lips. Yuu withdrew right before he came, his seed spilling onto Hisashi's stomach and mixing with his lover's.

With a tired sigh, Yuu lay down next to the blonde and stroked back his curls, locking their mouths in a slow, deep kiss. Hisashi nestled himself in the crook of Yuu's arm and they cuddled for a few minutes before retreating to the bathroom to clean up.

After a brief wash they pulled on clean clothes and slid into the bed. It wasn't that late, but they had a long day ahead of them tomorrow, plus their recent orgasms had lulled them into a contented state perfect for falling asleep.

Hisashi snuggled down into Yuu's bed, humming as he felt Yuu's warm bare chest press against his clothed back. Yuu wrapped his arm around Hisashi's middle and they exchanged one more kiss before settling in, slipping into unconsciousness within minutes.

**DemonicAngeling, Chiho Kazusa, BlackAmethyst58, Otaku Frappe, YukinaKisaYanaseLVR, Lesley Oboe- Thank you all so much for reading and your freakin awesome reviews! ^.^** **HUGS!**

**Annalisse Rubisher- Thanks for the new nickname idea ;D Hope you enjoyed the lemon!**

**Alexisz- might I say how big of a sweetie you are? :3 Thanks for all your support and reviews!**

**Persephone Crux- you don't know how happy those kind of comments make me. It's reviews like that that make me so glad that I wrote Hisashi and Yuu! Big hugs!**

**Happy Viruss- Hey, if you're a pervert for reading, what does that make me? XDDD! Bwahaah! Don't worry, you are in the company of perverts here. We don't judge :) Thanks for the review!**

**Fauchocolat- Your reviews always give me such a happy day :) And I wouldn't worry about a less than adequate amount of 'fun' in this fic ;) I enjoy the smut far too much to cut back.**

**Darling Cerberus- my dear your reviews make a pigeon out of this flamingo as well :) and totally agree about the spiders. Luckily in my house there are braver people with a knowledge of Jiujitsu who willing to go after the scary ones in the basement...**

**Your words of praise always make me blush, especially coming from such a wonderful, intimate and emotional writer like yourself. Hugs and Kisses and hope the lemon brightens your day!**

**With Lemony Love,**

**TBF101**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Welcome Home**

"_Attention passengers, we will now begin our descent into Sapporo, Hokkaido. Please make sure your seat belts are fastened and all luggage is securely stowed in the overhead compartments—"_

"Thank god…" Yuu breathed quietly, running a hand through his shaggy hair and glancing at the seat next to him where Hisashi was dozing. The brunette frowned irksomely at his boyfriend's peaceful state and the ability to maintain such apathetic composure when they were hundreds of feet up in the air.

The plane sank slightly as they descended and Yuu's stomach sank with it, and he swallowed in an attempt to keep his nausea away. Thankfully he had anticipated this and not eaten breakfast, but even still, his stomach felt like it was filled with forty-nine tap dancing eels.

Yuu sighed, leaning further into his chair. He didn't really understand why the plane ride had been so unpleasant. He had traveled a bit when he was a kid and been okay, but now that he was a confident, rational, intelligent adult he could barely get through the takeoff without tossing his cookies. And it certainly didn't help matters that Hisashi had just put in his ear buds and slept the whole way while Yuu prayed to God/Buddha/Allah/Confucius/Santa that the plane would land and they would see tomorrow.

Even still, he managed to keep it together as the plane touched down, and as the aircraft jostled, Hisashi opened his eyes, stretching his arms and yawning. Their flight hadn't been that early in the morning, but the blonde has still fallen asleep not even halfway into the trip. Yuu envied him, as he couldn't ever seem to sleep on moving vehicles, especially ones that were airborne.

As soon as the plane slowly came to a halt, the seat belt sign clicked off and Yuu silently thanked the various deities for seeing him through the ordeal. The two grabbed their carry-ons and made their way off the plane, heading into the crowded airport terminal. Hisashi took out his phone and quickly checked his texts.

"Are you parents here?" Yuu asked, scanning the crowd as they walked through the final security gate and into baggage claim.

"No texts or calls," Hisashi replied in confusion. "I wonder where…oh wait, look." The blonde pointed down towards the main entrance, and smiled as he saw Hajime Renaka heading towards them with open arms.

"Sashi-chan!" She greeted happily, giving her surrogate son a warm hug. "So glad you're here." Hisashi hugged her back, equally excited. They released their embrace and Renaka turned to Yuu, giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"Wonderful to see you again Yuu-kun," She smiled. "How was your flight?"

"…Fine." Yuu replied, giving her a bow. "Are you doing well, Sensei?"

"Very," Renaka smiled. "Now that my two boys are here with me. Now let's go get your bags and get you two home." The three began to head over to the baggage claim, and Hisashi glanced around again.

"Where's my dad?" He asked, cocking his head.

"Last minute conference unfortunately." Renaka replied. "So he and your step mom are out of town. They'll be back tomorrow morning and they were very sorry they couldn't meet you here."

Hisashi shrugged.

"That's okay. Did they leave a house key?"

Renaka smiled knowingly.

"No, because you two aren't staying in your parent's house."

"We aren't?" Hisashi asked in surprise, while Yuu's ears perked up at the news. "Why not?"

"Well, you remember how Hiroshi-san used to talk about that crazy idea of turning your room into a mini bar after you moved out?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, for once he actually went through with it." Renaka said flatly. "So you two are coming home with me. Your room's all ready anyways. Plus…I thought it might be nicer for you to not have to worry about your parents walking in on _anything_."

Hisashi's mouth dropped and he was about to stammer a reply when Renaka caught sight of their airplane's claim number and headed over to the conveyer belt, effectively ending the conversation.

A slow smile spread over Yuu's face and he chuckled.

"Looks like this three weeks won't be so _long_ after all."

Hisashi blushed, giving Yuu a slight glare even though he was secretly relieved himself.

"Come on doofus, I see one of your bags." The blonde muttered, heading after Renaka.

* * *

Yuu watched out the backseat window of Renaka's SUV as they drove through the countryside surrounding Sapporo. Renaka and Hisashi's parents lived about forty five minutes from the city, so rather than skyscrapers, Yuu saw rolling hills and distant mountains gracing the landscape, and the stark change was not lost on him. He had been born and raised in Tokyo, and although he had been on vacation before, he musingly pondered what it would be like to grow up in such a nature rich place. A light smile crossed his face as he thought about how flustered Hisashi got in crowded streets of the city, and now it was easier to tell why.

Eventually Renaka got off the highway and turned onto a winding gravel road that led west, and at the end of the road sat two large traditional Japanese houses with separate gates surrounding them. Inside and around the yards Yuu could make out various trees and flowers, as well as zen rocks gardens, giving the entire place an even calmer ambiance. The brunette turned and watched Hisashi's face as the car headed up the driveway, and he studied the expression of peaceful nostalgia with only the slightest bit of anxiety. Yuu reached across the backseat and placed his hand over the blonde's, and Hisashi turned and briefly smiled at him.

"Here we are," Renaka said as she switched the engine off. The two guys grabbed their bags out of the trunk and followed Renaka up to her front door, but when she opened it, they were greeted by a sharp bark. Yuu jerked in surprise as a large black Labrador shot straight down the porch steps and pelted into Hisashi, almost knocking him to the ground. But rather than be shocked, Hisashi's face lit up with a huge grin and he hugged the dog around the neck, laughing as it smothered his face with licks. The dog shoved his wet nose into Hisashi's hoodie and gave a yip of excitement as he smelled the blonde, and his tail didn't stop wagging even when Hisashi stood back up.

"Yuu, this is Steve." Hisashi introduced, patting the dog's black head. "He's…er he _was_ Atsushi's dog."

Yuu chuckled.

"I could hardly tell from the way he launched into you." He said, kneeling down. The dog studied him for a second and began to bark.

"Steve." Renaka scolded, quieting the dog immediately with her tone. "Don't take it personally Yuu-kun. Hisashi's parents have lived next door for thirteen years and he still barks at them."

"But obviously not at Hisashi." Yuu smiled, watching the blonde stroke the dog's back.

"Did you miss me Steve?" Hisashi asked the dog.

"He sure did," Renaka answered. "After you left he wandered around the house for weeks trying to find you. His whining drove me crazy."

"Oh Steve," Hisashi sighed, giving the hound another hug. He straightened back up and adjusted his backpack, patting his thigh and heading for the door again with the dog trailing. Yuu chuckled at the display and followed a few steps behind with Renaka.

"So…" Yuu murmured carefully. "He was Atsushi-san's dog?"

Renaka nodded, not at all bothered by the question.

"Yes, though even now I still consider him more Hisashi's dog than mine. Atsushi and Hisashi raised him from a puppy so he was always more attached to the two of them."

"I see."

"I wouldn't worry though. He's only bitten a stranger once."

"Huh?" Yuu replied, but his grunt was cut off as they stepped into the house. Hisashi set his bag down on the floor and looked around the house he saw in all the memories of his childhood, his blue eyes quiet and wandering. Renaka came up behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Welcome home, Hisashi-chan."

* * *

**Thanks for all the reviews for the lemon! ^.^ Squee! **  
**Hope you guys keep enjoying the story!**

**Love, **

**TBF101**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello all :) The bird just got back from vacation so hopefully more updates will be out soon. You can thank my stomach for this chapter for not being sick during the 10hr car ride back and allowing me to write. What a trooper. If only it always behaved in the car...  
**

**Anyways, Enjoy! Thanks for the reviews and I love hearing from you all!  
**

**Love,  
**

**TBF101  
**

* * *

**Chapter Five: The Shrine**

Hisashi's blue eyes wandered around the living room, touching every nook and corner even though he knew them by memory. He set his bags on the floor and quietly padded further in, going up to the nearest couch and ghosting his fingers over it. However, when he heard Renaka and Yuu step in behind him, he turned and gave them a shocked look. Yuu stiffened, wondering what could possibly be wrong already.

"Renaka-san," Hisashi said soberly. "It's…It's CLEAN."

Renaka eyes narrowed at his comment and she gave him a perturbed frown.

"You hush." She retorted. Hisashi's lips curled into a grin and she sighed.

"What? I can't clean the house every couple of years? Well, mostly the assistants did it but still, that's no excuse."

Hisashi's smile instantly fell at the mention of the assistants and his eyes quickly darted around in fear.

"Don't worry." Renaka said. "Your party isn't till tomorrow. I thought it would be nice if you didn't get pounced on your first day back."

"Thank you…" Hisashi exhaled in relief.

"You're getting a party?" Yuu raised an eyebrow. Hisashi sighed.

"Those four look for _any_ excuse to throw a party. They're insane."

"Oh Hisashi," Renaka cut in. "You've known those four since you were fourteen…._of course_ they're insane. But anyways, they'll be setting up while you're at your parents' house for breakfast tomorrow. Fair warning."

"Thanks. I guess…" Hisashi muttered. "I'm gonna go put my stuff away."

The blonde picked up his bags and headed down a corner hall with Steve still on his heels. Yuu watched him go, a little curious about the famous mangaka's house and creative center.

"Well Yuu-kun," Renaka smiled. "Would you like anything to drink? Tea perhaps?"

"Actually," Yuu grinned back. "I've been more into coffee lately."

Renaka laughed and nodded, heading into the kitchen.

"You got it. Make yourself at home."

Yuu let his backpack drop to the floor and slipped out of his shoes, quietly walking into Renaka's living room. Like Hisashi, he touched everything with his eyes, and he immediately saw quite a few things he liked. Renaka's living room wasn't perfectly decorated and posh, in fact, it actually looked like a home, like someone lived, ate, and made a mess there occasionally. What's more, it looked like the home of an artist. Everywhere there were paintings, and cups full of pens and brushes, and even random little knick-knacks on the mantle and coffee table that just looked cool.

A rather loud clash suddenly came from the kitchen and Yuu quickly hurried over.

"Renaka-san?" He said worriedly, glancing in. The mangaka clucked under her breath and leaned down to pick up part of a shattered mug.

"Darn," She muttered. "That's what I get for letting Sora clean the kitchen…"

"Are you okay?" Yuu asked.

"Yes, be careful of the glass Yuu-kun." Renaka replied. Yuu stepped alongside the shards and leaned up against the counter, but when he did, a menagerie of colors caught his eye. Next to a cabinet above the sink was a large acrylic painting and the more Yuu glanced at it, the more he was entranced. Painted in detail on the canvas was a golden griffin streaking through a purple night sky, its wings spread in flight and its mouth opened in song. The creature was beautifully crafted, from its clawed talons and paws to its golden mane and feathered wings. Yuu studied the artwork with awe, the skill of the artist plain to behold.

"Here's your coffee Yuu-kun."

Yuu shook his head and nodded somewhat flusteredly to Renaka, accepting his mug and trying to pull his eyes back to his hostess. However, the inquiry on his tongue was far too great to suppress.

"Renaka-san," He asked. "If you don't mind me asking, who…who did that painting?"

Renaka turned her eyes towards the canvas, their gaze slightly softening as they traced the lines of the griffin.

"I would have thought it was your work," Yuu added. "But the style and coloring is slightly different."

"You have a keen eye to notice that Yuu-kun," Renaka smiled proudly. "And you're right, it isn't mine. Atsushi painted that when he was seventeen."

Yuu's eyes widened and as he looked near the bottom of the painting, he could make out two letters _H.A._ And he immediately recognized the handwriting, as it was the same as the initials written on the white rock that Hisashi treasured.

"He was seventeen when he did that?" Yuu murmured in awe. "His skill is plain to see. You must have taught him well Renaka-san."

The woman smiled at his praise and chuckled good-humouredly.

"Well Yuu-kun, as an artist I'm sure you know that it's not just the skill of the teacher, but all the time and effort the student puts into his work, as well as a natural sense of creativity. But yes…Atsushi did wonderful work. That painting in particular was an interesting process. Usually that boy worked so fast, but that griffin took him almost six months to complete. I'd never seen him work so slow before, or in such detail. It was as if he were pouring his very soul into that painting…"

Renaka sighed contentedly at the sight of her late son's artwork and she silently turned back to Yuu.

"Would you like to see his shrine?"

Yuu nodded solemnly, setting his coffee mug back on the counter.

"I'd be honored, Renaka-san."

Yuu followed the mangaka out the other end of the kitchen and down a second hallway. At the far end of the corridor was another door and Yuu cocked his head as he read the sign that hung over it reading "The Magic Room." Renaka quietly chuckled as she noticed Yuu's puzzled face.

"My assistants are a little eccentric." She explained, opening the door. It was only after she mentioned the assistants that Yuu realized they were headed into her workroom.

The setup of the large room wasn't much different than Ijuuin's, with several small drawing tables and a desk at the front where the mangaka worked. However, the room also had a very homely feel, with more drawings, paintings, and even magazine articles tacked to every inch of the walls, along with more knick knacks, and a coffee maker that looked like it had seen better days.

There was also one key difference in Renaka's workroom. At the southern end of the room was a tall wooden _Butsudan_ shrine, where two pictures sat next to their respective memorial tablets. Yuu quietly approached the shrine, and stared at the picture of Renaka's late son Hajime Atsushi, his face still lit up with a carefree grin. Yuu also noticed a rather strange object next to the picture, but chose not to comment, as it was no doubt a private matter. However, Renaka's keen eyes picked up his inquiry and she let out a slight chuckle.

"In case you were wondering," She said. "The Sailor Moon action figure was also Atsushi's."

"Really?" Yuu asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," The mangaka sighed. "It was his obsession. Sometimes I swear he was a ten-year-old girl trapped in a teenage boy's body. He couldn't get enough of Shoujo manga. Sashi-chan can show you his room and you'll see that firsthand."

Yuu's lips curled into a slight smile that faded as he glanced at the second picture at the left side of the shrine. It was of a much older man with black hair, blue eyes, and a calm expression.

"My late husband," Renaka said, nodding to the picture. "Hajime Katsuya. He died of cancer when Atsushi was nine."

Yuu gave her a solemn nod.

"I'm sorry. For both of them."

Renaka accepted his words with a small smile.

"You might recognize the family resemblance. I'm sure you know of Marukawa's executive director Isaka-san?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Yuu sighed.

"Katsuya was his cousin." Renaka enlightened. "Though they didn't know each other very well. There was a lot of drama between their parents and it kept them from getting close. But when I debuted in manga they managed to forge a semblance of a relationship."

"Are you…still in contact with his family?" Yuu asked carefully.

"Business wise, yes," Renaka replied. "Personally we have lost touch over the years…but they were incredibly supportive throughout his last days and funeral, and we still do consider each other family."

Yuu nodded. Another inquiry was nagging at his mind. He knew it wasn't his place to scrutinize every facet of the woman's life, but at the same time her openness about it made him comfortable asking questions.

"Renaka-san, if you…don't mind me asking this…how did…Atsushi take to his father's death?"

Renaka cocked her head, reading Yuu's face silently.

"I only ask because…I had a similar thing happen when I was a kid." Yuu admitted quietly. "I'm just curious. I hope I haven't offended you…"

"Not at all," Renaka said plainly. "Well, Atsushi always knew that his father was terminal. And yet for some reason, he never seemed sad about it. Rather than distance himself from his dad, Atsushi spent much of his childhood just looking after him. Playing "nursemaid" in a way, always asking him if he needed anything. He had such a nurturing personality that caring for others was second nature to him."

Yuu nodded in reply, processing the information without a word.

"And," Renaka continued. "It was Atsushi's nature that I believe attracted him to Hisashi. When his family first moved next door, I honestly couldn't believe how ill that child was. I think Sushi saw Sashi's suffering as well, and got it into his head that it was his duty to take care of him. And he did, just like you have Yuu-kun."

"Hmm?" Yuu tilted his head. Renaka smiled.

"Don't think I haven't noticed what you've done. I haven't seen Sashi-chan look so well in years, and I owe it all to you."

Yuu looked at her with an expression of shock which slowly turned bashful, and he wasn't one to get embarrassed so easily.

"I…I don't know what to say Renaka-san. I mean, Hisashi's recovery is credit to his own strength, not mine."

The mangaka's eyes softened.

"You're too modest Yuu-kun. You have no idea what Hisashi was like after Atsushi's death. His parents and I were at our wit's end, but now he's recovered to the point where he could set foot in this house again without falling apart. Listen well Yuu-kun, that boy is the only immediate family I have left…and you will always have my gratitude for what you've done, even if you did it unknowingly."

Yuu's lips parted at Renaka's overwhelming words of gratitude, and not knowing what else to do, he dipped his head in a bow.

"I'm honored…Renaka-sensei. I love Hisashi very much…and, I'll do my best to keep him whole and happy."

"Thank you Yuu-kun." Renaka smiled, bowing as well. "I know you'll give him everything he needs."

Yuu gave her a smile and then turned back towards the shrine.

"Would you mind?"

"Not at all," Renaka smiled. "Thank you."

Yuu reached forward and picked up a fresh stick of incense, carefully lighting it and placing it in the holder between the two pictures. A single stream of smoke rose up to the top of the shrine, in reverence of the memory of the two men, and also as a prayer that the people who remained would find happiness before their own eternal rest.

* * *

**To answer any questions, yes this fic (along with the removed lemon of chapter 3) will be up on Yourfanfiction dot com eventually. I'm trying to get "Always" up first and then hopefully I'll get this up. And non-lemon updates will still be given here as well.**

** Thanks a bunch for all your patience :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: Recollection**

"Yuu? Renaka-san?"

The two in front of the shrine turned towards the door, where Hisashi's curly head was poking through. He entered, glancing around the workroom with a nostalgic expression.

"I wondered where you guys went." He said quietly, his eyes finally turning to the Hajime's shrine. "Watcha doing?"

"I was just paying my respects to Atsushi-san and Hajime-san." Yuu replied. "Did you get all your stuff put away?"

"More or less." Hisashi shrugged, his blue-grey eyes not leaving the memorial for several moments.  
"Well boys," Renaka said, finally breaking the silence. "I'm sure you two must be hungry, or rather I'm sure Yuu must be hungry and Hisashi is running low of caffeine."

Yuu chuckled and smiled mischievously at Hisashi, who merely rolled his eyes.

"Sashi-chan, why don't you show Yuu around the bedrooms, and I'll whip us up some dinner. I would take both of you out, but I doubt you're in the mood for more driving."

Yuu and Hisashi nodded in agreement and Renaka headed back towards the kitchen. Hisashi let Yuu take his hand and they headed down the hall to the living room, where Steve was waiting anxiously. Once he saw Hisashi, he sat up and wagged his tail, casting a somewhat perturbed glance at Yuu but not growling.

The brunette rolled his eyes as the dog began to follow them to another corridor.

"We're staying in my room," Hisashi said. "The double bed's in there but we need to make it."

"You have your own room?"

"Yeah, Renaka-san had a spare and my parents were away a lot on business when I was in my teens. Besides," He rolled his eyes. "She said I put in so many hours cutting toner and keeping Atsushi out of her hair that I deserved my own room."

"Speaking of which," Yuu said. "Where is Atsushi's room? Renaka-san said I should see it."

Hisashi turned and gave him a somewhat disturbed look.

"Are you sure you want to?"

Yuu's eyebrows furrowed.

"Uh yeah…I _guess._"

"All right. Your choice." The blonde said dryly, leading him down the hall to the first door on the right. And even before Hisashi opened the door, Yuu could tell he was about to enter the den of an otaku. Plastered against the door was a floor to ceiling poster of _Sailor Moon_, holding a sign that read "Atsushi's Room."

Hisashi caught Yuu's widened eyes and sighed.

"Believe me, you haven't seen anything yet."

Hisashi opened the two and the couple stepped in, and Yuu had to try very hard to keep his mouth off the floor. The bedroom looked like an anime store had exploded (well, exploded in an organized fashion). Long shelves lined the immediate wall, all covered in dvds, action figures, and collective items, many of them in their original wrapping. Below them sat several bookcases, filled to the brim with manga and art books. In all truth, Atsushi's room was an otaku's haven, with beanbags, game consoles, and a large TV mounted on the wall. However, in spite of all the vavoom, Yuu's eyes were drawn to the back corner, where a drawing desk and laptop sat. He quietly headed over to it, staring at the cups full of brushes and pencils, and stacks of sketchbooks.

"Is it all right if I look through one?"

"Go ahead." Hisashi nodded, sitting down on the bed (naturally covered with a _Sailor Moon_ comforter). Yuu picked up the top sketchbook and carefully flipped through the pages, and needless to say, he was impressed. Atsushi's sketches were engaging, interesting, and all so carefully drawn.

But it was the last one that caught the most of Yuu's attention. It was a still life of teenage Hisashi, drawing next to Renaka at a table, and near the bottom it was entitled "My Family." He spent so many moments pondering it's meaning that Hisashi glanced over.

"Which one are you looking at?"

Yuu handed him the book and Hisashi nodded in recollection before handing it back. Yuu was about to take another when he looked up at the wall and was greeted by yet another Sailor Moon poster, however the number of signatures on it surprised him.

"Wow." He said, taking a closer look. "Is that Takeuchi Naoko's signature?"

"Yep," Hisashi nodded. "Along with all the voice actors of the anime and the directors."

"Holy crap. This thing must be worth a ton. It's even an original poster from 1993."

"It is," Hisashi laughed quietly. "But Atsushi would never have sold it. It was signed and given to him in person."

"You're kidding. That's big."

"Yeah, he won a huge sweepstakes a couple years back and Renaka pulled some major strings to get them to meet him. You should have seen his face when he stepped into that room. He literally fainted and it took twenty minutes to revive him."

Yuu chuckled.

"I was a bit like that when I first met Ijuuin in high school at an autograph session. So…he really liked _Sailor Moon_ that much?"

Hisashi sighed wearily.

"Yes, personally I was more of a fan of _Dragon Ball _Z, but Atsushi just couldn't get over that show. So he pretty much constantly fanboyed over it, made me watch every single episode, and tell him in detail who my favorite character was and why. And he wrote a semester paper on it. Renaka-san wasn't thrilled about that one when she graded it."

Yuu furrowed his eyebrows.

"Why would Renaka-san grade his term paper?"

"Oh," Hisashi replied. "I forgot you didn't know. Atsushi and I were home schooled by her."

"What? Really?" Yuu said in surprise, sitting down in the desk chair. "How long?"

Hisashi shrugged.

"Pretty much all middle school and high school. I never did well at my school in Tokyo and my parents didn't want any more stress on me when we moved. Renaka was certified and was already home schooling Atsushi and she offered."

"Geez." Yuu whistled. "How the hell did she find the time to draw a best selling manga series and homeschool two kids when I can't even find time to do my laundry?"

Hisashi shrugged.

"No clue."  
"Though wait, you have a degree though right? Where did you go for that?"

Hisashi smiled sheepishly.

"_Technically_ I don't. I only completed three years at Sapporo University, and a lot of the classes I opted out of or took online. But I got hired by Marukawa through Renaka's recommendation so it didn't really matter. And I mean, I have the job I want already, so I guess there's no hurry in finishing it."

Yuu nodded thoughtfully, though his own college to job experience was quite different.

"I guess that makes sense."

"Yeah, the nepotism helped." Hisashi grinned jokingly. Yuu chuckled.

"Did Atsushi finish his?"

"Well yeah, because he was a year older than me. And….I was never that enthusiastic about school in the first place." He explained sheepishly.

The two looked over as there was a quiet knock on the door.

"Hey boys," Renaka called from the other side. "Dinner's almost ready so I'm going to go start the bath."

"Okay," Hisashi answered. "We'll be out in a minute."

"Do we wanna fight over who gets the first bath or should we resolve our conflicts like civilized people and play 'rock, paper, scissors'?" She called back.

"The latter sounds good." Hisashi replied, turning back to Yuu. "Okay, Yuu. On three."

Yuu befuddledly complied and lost paper over rock.

"So," He said. "How does this work?"

"I'm going first. You play Renaka and whoever wins gets second."

"Why go through all this trouble?" He said with a slight smile. Hisashi thought for a minute and simply replied, "I don't know. It's just how we always did it."

The two boys got up and headed out of the room, though both of them took one last glance at Atsushi's room before shutting the door, though they were for entirely different reasons.

* * *

Yuu let out a slight yawn as he stepped into Hisashi's room, running his fingers through his damp hair. It was only around nine o'clock, but he already felt like he could go to sleep. Renaka's cooking (which was the complete opposite of Hisashi's) and the bath (he had lost scissors over paper to Renaka) had soothed the busyness of the day away, and he couldn't wait to get some rest.

The blonde was already in the double bed, snuggled into the blankets and flipping through a manga, though Yuu's brow crinkled irksomely as he saw Steve dozing in the spot that was intended for him.

Hisashi looked up as Yuu shut the door, and a yawn escaped him as well.

"You look like you're ready to crash." He smiled.

Yuu smiled back, stepping over to his side of the bed.

"You two." He started to pull back the covers to climb in, when Steve lifted his head and let out a low growl. Yuu glared back in annoyance.

"Steve," Hisashi said sternly. "DOWN."

The Labrador reluctantly obeyed, jumping down from the bed and curling up on the rug, his eyes still fixed on Yuu. The brunette settled into the comfortable bed, crossing his arms behind his head with a silent exhale.

"You look tired." Hisashi murmured, placing his book on the night table and rolling onto his side.

Yuu smiled, inclining over to him.

"So do you. And you don't even hate traveling." He replied. However, he suddenly remembered something, and quickly threw back the covers and darted to the bathroom.

"Phew…" He whispered as he came back, the object clutched in his hand. Hisashi tilted his head curiously, but at the sight of a length of dangling black cord, he laid back against his pillow. Yuu carefully set the object on his night stand, his eyes scrutinizing it for any sign of harm. The object in question was one Yuu guarded closely, and with good reason. The simple necklace of black cord tied to a rock had been one of Hisashi's most cherished possessions before he'd given it to Yuu. The brunette intended to keep it safe at all times, knowing the magnitude of meaning held behind it (and as an added precaution, he had secretly superglued the rock to the string, just for an additional piece of mind that it wouldn't fall off).

Yuu slid back into bed, this time reaching over and tucking his arm around Hisashi's waist.

"You know, I'm proud of you." He said quietly. Hisashi tilted his head.

"Why?"

"I know you try to hide it, but it's gotta be hard to come back here after so much time. But I'm proud of you for doing it."

Hisashi scooted closer, resting his head under Yuu's chin.

"To be honest, it's not as bad as I though it'd be, since you're here."

Yuu smiled contentedly and leaned down to kiss the blonde. The embrace was sweet and gentle, but the two found their lips lingering for quite some time before they switched off the light and settled in, Yuu holding Hisashi from behind just like he did at home.

However, although Yuu found sleep easy to come by, the blonde lay awake for nearly an hour, his eyes flickering and staring at the surrounding space. And the more he stared around his old room, and felt the familiarness of his own bed, the more uncomfortable he seemed to get.

Had it just been yesterday? When he and Atsushi had slept in here, the room still except for the muffled chirps of crickets and the wind blowing?

Hisashi swallowed and shook his head gently, trying to quiet the old thoughts that seemed to prevail reality. But as he felt warm breath on his neck, Hisashi hurriedly rolled over, and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Yuu…instead of his late friend.

The blonde took a deep breath and curled against Yuu's chest, breathing in his spicy scent and listening to the steady beats of his heart. What he had told Yuu earlier was the truth, his presence here had softened the blow of seeing this place and reliving the memories.

But it was a blow nonetheless, and Hisashi felt the knot of it twisting in his stomach long after he succumbed to sleep.

* * *

**Next we shall meet Hisashi's parents :) **

**Thank you all for your awesome favs, reviews, and alerts! ^_^**

**Fauchocholat- Did I ever tell you how much I freaking love your reviews! They made my day like nothing else! And omigosh you humble this poor author, all your praise makes me so happy and so bashful :3 THANK YOU! Hope you enjoy!**

**JoanIncarnate- yeah I used to laugh at that too X3**

**YukinaKisaYanaseLVR- this fic is actually up on yourfanfiction dot com, if you wanna read the MA version.  
**

**Don't Preach- Squee. You're too good to my my lovely ^_^ Thank you for your eternal support of Artistica, and of my OC's. Your writing have brought me so much joy that it's an honor to bring you some yaoi joy as well. Kisses! Hope to see you up soon!  
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**With Love,  
**

**TBF101  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: Guten Tag**

Morning had come, and Yuu breathed in a lungful of cool mountain air as Hisashi and he stepped out onto Renaka's porch. And despite being born and raised in Tokyo, he couldn't help but be drawn to the Hokkaido scenery. Being a morning person by nature (when he had a _regular_ sleeping schedule and wasn't called on in the middle of the night by bipolar mangakas), he had risen early and taken a walk in the surrounding hills. He had slept decently last night, though oddly enough he found that he sort of missed the city cacophony that usually woke him. It was so quiet here. No honking traffic or rumbling subways. Just the wind and the air and the trees…

Yuu glanced to his left when Hisashi gave a slight yawn. Unlike him, the blonde had slept late, and the entire bed had been a mess, signaling that he might have slept fitfully. Yuu could rationalize a dozen reasons why the blonde hadn't been able to sleep, but even still…it worried him. But at the moment, he knew nagging Hisashi would do nothing but raise the stress of the situation, mainly because they knew Hisashi was more nervous about Yuu meeting the Araki parents than he was. Yuu had pondered long and hard about what kind of parents had given the world that quirky blonde, and he still hadn't quite come up with the answer. And as they walked to the Araki household and up to the porch, his mind came up completely blank.

Hisashi took hold of the doorknob and opened the front door, sticking his head inside.

"_Entschuldigung! Ist irgendjemand nach Hause?"* _The blonde yelled in an accent that made Yuu raise an eyebrow. He knew Hisashi spoke fluent German and decent English, but he had never actually heard him use it. But he was even more surprised to hear a cheery, booming voice reply,

"_Schade! Wir haben alle übrig, um Getränkbier zu gehen und zu essen!" _

"Fine," Hisashi replied. "I guess we'll just come back later then."

Yuu heard what sounded like a large person race to the door and his eyes widened as he saw a man throw it open and hold his arms out ecstatically.

"_Mein Sohn!"_ Araki Hiroshi yelled, throwing his arms around Hisashi. _"Sind Sie alle hier? Finger, Zehen, Mund, und Nase?"_

"Yes dad," Hisashi answered, his father's hug a little too tight (like always). "And please keep it to Japanese for Yuu—"

"And this must be your friend!" Hiroshi grinned, releasing Hisashi and turning to Yuu. The brunette was about to do a traditional bow and "nice to meet you," when he felt himself also enveloped in a bear hug. Hisashi sighed and gave the shocked Yuu a penitent look.

"Dad, this is Yanase Yuu, my friend and coworker." The blonde introduced. Hiroshi released Yuu and gave him a huge smile, motioning to the door.

"Welcome to my home, friend of my son! I am honored to have you. Come in, come in."

"Th—Thank you," Yuu dipped his head in a bow, still a little bewildered. As Hiroshi held the door opened for the two, Yuu took a closer look at him, growing more confused by the second. The man in front of him looked entirely Japanese, short, stout, with graying black hair and a rather apparent potbelly. However, the man's face constantly shifted in rich, colorful expressions and laughter was loose on his tongue. He was so different than the normal array of older men Yuu saw that he was hard pressed not to stare.

As soon as the three were past the doorway, Hiroshi hopped forward and headed down the hall.

"Saki my flower! Hisashi and his friend are here! Come out and welcome them!"

Hisashi sighed again.

"Sorry about that. My dad's kind of a people person…"

"Apparently," Yuu replied. "Is he really Japanese?"

"Biologically, yes," Hisashi rolled his eyes. "Culturally, I have no clue. Though he's just got back from another trip to Berlin so he's in German mode. But come on, I'll show you some of the house."

Hisashi led Yuu down the front hall and into a living room filled with large couches and chairs and a western style brick fireplace. Yuu took a long look at every corner of the room and was slightly amazed. Hung on every wall and set on every table were collections of pottery, art, and other objects from all around the world, along with photographs of famous monuments and cities.

"Wow, it's like a cultural museum in here." He commented, sitting down on a comfy looking sofa with Hisashi. The blonde nodded.

"Yep, dad's been traveling his whole life, and he's always bringing stuff home. He says it's so a piece of his trips will always be with him."

Yuu smiled, scanning a row of photographs on top of a nearby bookshelf. However, when he came to one, he stopped and tilted his head in curiosity. Hisashi noticed what he was looking at and was about to explain, when Hiroshi stepped in from the kitchen and saw him.

"Ah, I see you have found Hisashi's mother."

Yuu watched as Hiroshi carefully plucked the photograph up and handed it to him with a faraway smile. Yuu studied the picture closely, hardly comprehending what he saw. Next to a grinning, laughing, much younger, much _thinner_ Hiroshi was a short, thin, pale woman with platinum blonde curls, dull blue eyes, and a quiet smile.

"This is your mom?" Yuu asked quietly, looking at Hisashi and marveling at the clone-like resemblance.

Hisashi nodded.

"_Angelika Immer_ Araki," He replied. "My dad's first wife."

"Wow," Yuu shook his head in amazement. "You're the spitting image of her."

"Isn't he though?" Hiroshi smiled widely, reaching over and ruffling his son's curls. "His name even carries the same meaning."

Yuu cocked his head curiously.

"Her maiden name," Hisashi explained. "_Immer, _mean 'forever' in German."

"Like your name means 'always.'" Yuu replied. "I see."

"Oh yes, I almost forgot," Hisashi said, looking at his dad solemnly. "What's this I hear about you turning _my room into a wine cellar_?"

Hiroshi's expression quickly turned to one of a man trying to talk his way out of trouble.

"Now son, just hear this idea out. On one side of the room, I have Italian wine. _But_ on the other side, I have imported German beer kegs. And together they make 'The binery,' the living marriage of beer and wine!"

"Thanks a lot." Hisashi growled, not enthusiastic in the least about the binery.

"I suspected that you might feel that way," Hiroshi sighed. "So…I picked you up a little present from Berlin."

Hisashi's father disappeared from the living room for a few minutes and returned carrying a small box, which he set on his son's lap. Hisashi carefully opened it and his eyes went wider than saucers as he saw a bag inside.

"Oh my god…it's…it's…"

"_Deutsch Espresso_." Hiroshi smiled. "Strongest coffee in Germany."

Hisashi tentatively opened part of the bag, and after taking a brief whiff, slumped against the back of the couch. He glanced at his father, his face still a mask of wonder.

"…I forgive you." He muttered, carefully sealing the bag and closing the box. Hiroshi chuckled under his breath, ruffling the blonde curls again.

"Welcome home son."

"Pardon me, gentlemen." A quiet voice called.

"Ah _Mein Prinzessin!_" Hiroshi grinned. Yuu and Hisashi rose from the couch as a small Japanese woman in traditional kimono came down the hall and bowed gracefully. Needless to say, the cultural shell shock of Hiroshi paired with the epitome of Japanese tradition nearly had Yuu's head spinning. But quickly remembering his own manners, Yuu stepped forward and offered his own bow to Hisashi's stepmother.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Araki-san. I am Yanase Yuu."

Araki Saki, bowed back formally.

"Welcome to our home Yanase-san."

"Thank you for having me."

"Hisashi-chan, it's wonderful to see you." Saki said, smiling at her stepson. Hisashi smiled back and half bowed.

"Is the food ready oh lily of my valley?" Hiroshi cooed, dramatically holding his arms out to her.

"Yes Anata*," Saki replied. "If you would all like to gather in dinning room, we can begin our meal."

Yuu and the Araki family headed into a traditional dinning room, and Yuu was silently awed by the low table, cushions, and Japanese breakfast food set before them.

"Hisashi! I almost forgot to tell you!" Hiroshi exclaimed at he sat down. "I was in America a couple months ago and I tried the MOST AMAZING food! I think they were called 'tacos.'"

But despite the atmosphere of tradition, Yuu was still very much aware that he was in a rather strange house.

* * *

**Hello guys. Sorry the updates have been few and far between, but I've been having trouble writing lately. But let me say that your reviews help so so much and I thank you all immensely for them :) **  
**And I hope you continue to enjoy the story when I am able to give updates.**

**Just a few quick notes: *"Anata" is pretty much the equivalent of "dear husband." Kind of a formal nickname that wives address their husbands by.**

**And as for all the German phrases in this chapter, I used a simple translator online because I suck at languages. Here are the following translations.**

(1) "Excuse me! Is there anybody in the house?"

(2) "Sorry. But we've all gone out to drink beer and eat!"

(3) "My son! Are you all here? Fingers, toes, mouth, and nose?"

**Anyways, thank you guys again for all your support of this story and I'll continue to update when I can. **

**Love,**

**TBF101**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight: Puzzles**

It was about an hour since the breakfast had been finished in the Araki household, but Yuu was in no hurry to go back to Renaka's. Hiroshi (in between his piteous glances at Saki for giving him smaller portions than he would have liked) had talked all through the meal, chatting his son's ear off about all of his most recent business travels. And Yuu, quite fascinated by the stories, had given him more than enough questions to stoke the story telling fire. Hisashi meanwhile, sat silently by, listening to his father and picking at his food, which naturally spawned comments from the hearty man that he still ate like a bird and needed to gain fifty pounds. To which Saki had politely and underlying suggested that Hiroshi should take his own advice about healthy living and _lose_ fifty pounds.

After concluding their meal, the four had vacated to the living room, where Hiroshi continued his tales with much enthusiasm, considering there was a pair of ears in the room that hadn't heard them a dozen times beforehand.

"And so I was with these Christian missionaries in a hut at their base and they bowed their heads to pray, and during the prayer, this giant, hairy _Monstrum_ of a spider falls from the rafters and lands right on my leg. Let me tell you, I screamed so loud every one of 'em just about jumped out of their skins. And instead of doing the smart thing and calmly brushing the spider away, I reacted on pure instinct and terror, brought my palm up, and smacked the thing as hard as I could. However…this turned out to be bad judgment on my part. Instead of being swashed, the spider flat out bit me and walked out like he owned the place. And not three hours later, my leg is the size of a _Kuh_—er sorry—cow, and as red and purple as a sunset in hell. Took me three weeks just to walk again and the pain was horrific…

"And so that was the last trip I ever took to Africa." Hiroshi finished cheerily, his hands comfortably folded around his mug of coffee.

"…Wow." Yuu remarked, bringing his own mug to his lips. "That's…quite a story Hiroshi-san."

"Yes that spider bite is mightily engraved in my memories," Hiroshi mused with a slight shudder. "Not to mention I had them send some pictures to Hisashi, he was only ten and thought Papa was going to bite the big one… Or rather, had been bitten by the big one."

Yuu's lip curled and he glanced over at the blonde, who was far too engrossed in his cup of _Deutsch Espresso _to blush, though Yuu did catch a slight eye roll.

"Though then again, there was that time I was in Poland and came face to face with a big, angry, mama bear." Hiroshi spoke, leaning back in his chair and already going off on another digression. He put his empty coffee mug on the end table, and Saki immediately got up to replenish the three men's beverages without a word, even though Hiroshi had asked her (with more foreign exclamations of endearment) to sit down and enjoy herself. While Hisashi had seemed to tune out their interactions, a slightly befuddled Yuu had watched and let the wheels of his head turn.

Even though he was overly familiar with women's roles in Japanese culture, seeing a _very_ traditional display of it in such an unorthodox family was strange, like trying to fit two different puzzles together. Even stranger, it seemed that the Arakis were fully aware of this. Hiroshi constantly purred sweet nothings to his wife that she needn't bustle around, and yet that only seemed to instill her drive further. While this would have seemed like just a miscommunicated service of love, Yuu somehow sensed that it wasn't the case. There was just something too_ stiff_ mulling under the surface of this household, and knowing Hisashi as he did, Yuu wondered if any of these contributed to his silence. If Yuu didn't know better, he would almost say that Hisashi was visiting a stranger's home instead of his immediate family's. Having some experience of this with his own family, Yuu knew that there was more to this than met the eye, and it bothered him enough that he decided to ask Renaka about that later, and in private.

Hisashi listened quietly to his father's ramblings, keeping his coffee mug in hand and chewing on his lower lip.

"So, Hiroshi-san," Yuu said after the man had finished his tale of the angry bear. "You work for the Japanese ambassador?"

"Mmm, yes," Hiroshi replied. "I'm essentially the second-in-command, so when he's occupied I'm usually booked solid for years. Barely have time for an afternoon snack."

"…Has it been busy lately dad?" Hisashi asked almost inaudibly. Hiroshi's eyes brightened considerably at his son's inquiry.

"Well yes and no," He replied. "Lately all my attention has been on training my successor. Nice man, though a rather nervous constitution. I imagine he will loosen up once he's been out of the country a few times and seen all the wonders of it."

Yuu nodded a couple times in understanding, but when he glanced over at Hisashi, he found the blonde looking quite a bit more fidgety.

"So Hisashi," Hiroshi smiled enthusiastically. "How is your work at the publishing company? Do tell."

The blonde gave his dad a small smile.

"It's good. Very busy but…I enjoy it."

"Wonderful," Hiroshi beamed. "I'm glad to see you doing so well. I understand you work there too Yuu-san? How did the two of you meet?"

Hisashi's smile slightly fell and he took a long drink of his coffee as Yuu answered his father.

"We work under the same mangaka." Yuu replied coolly. "And as the hours are a bit long, we sort of became friends of circumstance."

"I see." Hiroshi replied. "Well in any case, I'm very happy to see Hisashi with a trustful friend of any sort. I don't know how much you know, but Hisashi lost his best friend Atsushi just a while back and it's nice to see him in good company again."

Yuu was slightly taken aback by the man's words and noticed almost immediately that the air was made even more uncomfortable at the unconscious comparison of Yuu and the late Atsushi. Hisashi didn't say anything in reply, and just from looking at Hiroshi's face, Yuu could tell that the words had not been said with any sort of malice. Even still, it slightly ticked him off. Hisashi could be very emotionally fragile with that subject. Didn't his father realize how hard it was for Hisashi to talk about the past? From what Renaka had said, Hisashi had been sick mind and body when he moved to Tokyo, and one would think that his parents would be a little more cautious in the water they were treading.

"Um, yes," Yuu replied carefully. "Hisashi had told me all about him. By the way, I don't suppose he told you that he won an award a few weeks ago?"

"Yuu…" Hisashi whispered in a murmuring plea.

"What? An award!" Hiroshi exclaimed. "_Oh mein Gott!_ What was it?"

"It was the 'New Assistant's Award,' and is given only to those who have worked for the company a short time but have shown exceptional talent." Yuu enlightened, giving the blonde a proud smile.

"How wonderful!" Hiroshi bellowed, nearly throwing his coffee mug into the air. "We must go out and celebrate!"

Hisashi slightly winced at his dad's characteristically loud tone, and brought a hand up.

"I'd rather not dad, if that's okay. The people at the office celebrated quite enough already…"

"Oh," Hiroshi said, the tinniest bit deflated. "Well, we should at least have dinner in Sapporo while you two are here. I imagine you haven't had French food in a while."

Hisashi's brow wrinkled a bit at his father's insistence, but he reluctantly nodded.

"Okay, I guess that's fine. Just…don't go overboard…"

The hearty man let out a rumbling laugh.

"Oh son, when have I ever gone _overboard_?"

Yuu glanced to Hisashi and raised an eyebrow as a look of utter weariness overtook the blonde's face. Downing the last of his German coffee, Hisashi silently stood and brushed at something invisible on his striped hoodie.

"We probably should head back to Renaka's, I think she has something planned for us."

"Oh sure, sure." Hiroshi chattered, getting up and enveloping his son in another all-encompassing hug. "Well then, how about we have dinner the night after tomorrow then?"

"Okay," Hisashi replied, his face a blank slate. "Is that all right Yuu?"

"Yes, thank you for the offer." Yuu said, rising and nodding to Saki and Hiroshi. "And thank you again for the meal. It was delicious."

"You are very welcome, Yanase-san." Saki replied courteously. "May I show you two out?"

"That's okay," Hisashi replied, already backing towards the door. "Come on Yuu."

After one more bow to Hisashi's parents, Yuu followed, and it was quite apparent that Hisashi was relieved to be back outside again. The blonde let out a grateful sigh, shoving his hands in his pockets as they headed back to Renaka's.

It was also pretty obvious that Yuu had a lot more questions than answers at the moment, and he intended to have them all answered by one person or another.

"Sorry about my dad," A quiet murmur came from the blonde, though he didn't stop walking. "He means well but…he can be a bit much."

"No, it's all right. His stories were very interesting." Yuu replied.

"…I didn't mean that." Hisashi answered, his chin dipping a bit lower. "I know it's stupid that everyone keeps comparing you to Atsushi…sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Yuu replied. "Hey, is something wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"You seem tired. Did you not sleep well last night?"

Hisashi stopped at Renaka's gate, his hand resting on the lock without opening it.

"…Yeah. Kind of."

As Hisashi opened the gate and began to head up the walkway, Yuu strode forward, intending to cut him off and get down to the heart of the matter. However when Hisashi stopped in front of the porch and cursed under his breath, Yuu's drive was sideswiped.

"What is it?"

"I was so focused on getting through breakfast I forgot," The blonde quietly moaned, motioning to the driveway where three brightly colored motorbikes were parked. "Renaka's assistants are here…"

"What's so bad about that?" Yuu asked, raising an eyebrow. But as Hisashi turned around and gave him a look of weary horror, the brunette immediately knew that Hisashi's parents weren't the only strange people he was going to meet today.

* * *

Hello Artistica fans and thank you for all your patience with these updates :) Been busy as all heck lately and I finally got some down time, meaning I contact no one through any other mean but the internet and my royal rear doesn't leave the couch. Ah. Heaven.

I know this chapter was mostly dialogue, but I hope you all are still enjoying the story and the characters. Haha, it seems I threw everyone quite a loop with Hisashi's father. Your reactions really made me smile.

**Shirasu, HappySunshine29, xMoonlight, JoanIncarnate, Mid Summer Romance, Alexisz, Niji25, ****and Guests**- Thank you all so much for your reviews! You have no idea just how encouraging they are and they never fail to brighten my day! ^_^ Group hug!

**Fauchocolat**- well it seems I had just as much fun reading your review as you did my chapter :) Thanks a zillion for all the awesome feedback. And let me assure you, Hiroshi and Hisashi's relationship is indeed a complicated and strange one, but it will all be explained in time :)

**MioMisaki- **Always wonderful to hear from a new reader :) So thrilled you like my stories and I hope to keep seeing you around.

**Leigh's Last Laugh**- Haha. Glad you find me entertaining :) see world? I'm doing something with my life. Lol. But believe me, I have a couple more wild OCs to introduce so don't get too comfortable ;) Thanks so much for the review!

**Kisses to you all! **

**TBF101**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine: Alcoholic Gaydar**

"Okay," Hisashi breathed as they stopped in front of Renaka's front door. "I probably should give you a head's up for this…"

Yuu raised an eyebrow, but nodded, already jumping to a thousand different conclusions of what Renaka's four manga assistants were like. Hell, they were probably just four shy, awkward otaku girls who barely left their basements and wrote anime fanfiction or something.

"So what's the skinny?" He asked, leaning against a wall. Hisashi paused briefly, wondering how to best describe them.

"Well, according to Renaka-san, they're one of the finest fantasy manga teams money can buy, but they're all crazy and drink like the world's ending. Their names are Daiki, Sora, Yoshi, and Setsuna, and even though they claim they're all distant cousins they don't look a thing alike. Daiki is a work-out-aholic and part time personal trainer and pumps dumbbells even when she draws. If she asks you if you'd like a free trial session, say NO, or risk having every muscle in your body ache for the next three months. Atsushi and Renaka learned that the hard way. She'll probably give somebody some sort of random exercise lecture, she always does.

"Sora is Daiki's best friend, and she sleeps with anything that breathes. Ignore most of what she says because it's usually crap. And don't ever challenge her to a drinking contest unless you want to die of alcohol poisoning.

"Setsuna is quiet, polite, and really mellow, so if you want to talk to someone talk to her. But don't mention the others to her or she'll tune you out. She really freaking hates Daiki and Sora but hangs out with them constantly anyways."

Yuu blinked a couple times, trying very hard to process everything.

"All right…I think I got it…what about the fourth?"

Hisashi shrugged and pointed to the three motorcycles.

"Yoshi's not here. She's probably home sleeping indefinitely."

"Did they just finish a deadline?"

"No, she has mild narcolepsy. She manages to keep in under control during work but right after, _poof!_ Out for the next 48 hours."

"Huh…" Yuu grunted, looking more than a little weirded out. Hisashi took a deep breath and moved to open the door.

"You sure you're ready for this?" Yuu asked, still thinking of the tension Hisashi experienced with his parents not long ago.

"Never have been," The blonde answered, turning the knob. "And never will be."

As the two stepped inside the house and into the living room, Yuu immediately caught sight of someone he presumed to be Daiki talking with Renaka. She was tall for a woman and buff as a wrestler, her body all the more accented by her tight workout clothes and short auburn ponytail. And as soon as Hisashi set foot in the living room, the tall assistant's face lit up and she bounded right over.

"_Hitsuji_ you little munchkin!" She grinned, giving him a friendly hug and curl ruffle.

"Hey Dai," Hisashi replied.

"OY! Sora, Tsuna! Get your asses in here!" Daiki barked into the kitchen.

"God, we're coming!" A higher voice yelled back. "Don't get your frickin' panties in a knot."

A second later, two more girls came out of the kitchen, and Yuu raised his eyebrows at how stark their appearances were. The first was tallish, with hair nearly the color of Hisashi's, though Yuu could tell it was dyed. Added to her long, straight locks were several hair extensions in a menagerie of bright colors. She also wore casual clothes consisting of baggy jeans, and a top that loosely sagged off her shoulder.

The second girl on the other hand, was dressed completely in fitted black save for sapphire pendant earrings that glittered against her fair complexion. Her black hair was short, chin length in the front with side-sweeping bangs, and nearly buzzed in the back.

"Hey twerp," The blonde smiled as they approached. Hisashi rolled his eyes and the two exchanged a hug.

"Hi Sora." He replied, then turning to the black-haired girl. "Hi Tsu."

"Good to see you," Setsuna replied with a quiet smile. "You look well."

"I know right?" Daiki grinned. "I hardly recognized you."

"Yeah," Sora snorted. "He finally put on about three pounds."

"Glad to see you three haven't changed _at all_," Hisashi muttered.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," Sora countered, sticking out her pierced tongue.

"Or rather," Renaka said skeptically. "If it's broken beyond repair, don't bother trying."

Yuu raised his eyebrows at Renaka's seemingly harsh comment, but it rolled off the three girls like rainwater.

"That's cold, Mama-Sama," Daiki laughed. "So _Hitsuji_, are you going to introduce us to the trespasser?"

Yuu's eyebrow rose again as he realized that referred to him. Hisashi took a deep breath and gestured to him.

"Okay um, guys…this is Yanase Yuu. He's my coworker…and my f—friend—"

"Boyfriend."

Hisashi and Yuu immediately looked over to Sora with wide eyes, as did everyone else. Sora took in all the stares and shrugged.

"What? You think I can't tell? I'll have you know that I have the highest tuned gaydar in the whole freaking world—"

"Is that true?" Daiki cut in, looking at Hisashi excitedly. The blonde swallowed nervously and nodded.

"That's great!" Daiki grinned, giving him another hug and reaching over to shake hands with Yuu. "How long have you guys been going out?"

"Six months," Yuu replied, quietly slipping his other hand into Hisashi's and giving it a squeeze. A faint blushed crept over Hisashi's cheeks at all the attention.

"What's wrong?" Daiki asked, picking up on his discomfort. "First outing?"

"Yeah," Yuu replied, giving the blonde a quiet smile. "The only other person we've told was Renaka-san. He's not quite used to it yet."

"Well I think it's just downright bloody awesome," Daiki smiled. "Good to meet you Yanase."

"Likewise, though I am curious about something," Yuu replied. "Why do you keep calling him 'sheep'?"

Daiki laughed.

"Oh he's had that nickname forever. When he was just a nibblet he used to follow Atsushi and Renaka around like a little curly sheep, so we just started calling him that."

Hisashi sighed when Yuu failed to completely suppress his chuckles and tugged the brunette's hand over towards the couch.

"Let's all get caught up," Renaka said, gesturing everyone to the seats. "Anyone want a drink?"

When the three assistants' heads noticeably perked up at the work 'drink,' Renaka shot them a glare.

"_Non-alcoholic _drinks," She said crisply. "You three are still on probation from May 3rd."

"What happened on May 3rd?" Hisashi asked. Sora rolled her eyes.

"Nothing really…a slight public drunkenness charge and 'harassment' of a police officer…even though he was totally into it…"

"Only you were charged with that," Daiki countered. "Did you ever even hook up with that guy?"

"No. When he said he couldn't get me out of the ticket I gave him a fake number."

"…Speaking of which," Setsuna said awkwardly. "Renaka-san, when is our court date?…I lost my slip."

"Next month," Renaka sighed audibly.

"Anyways, enough about us," Daiki said, effectively steering them out of the limelight. "Tell us about you Hii-chan. How did you and Yanase meet?"

"We both work for Ijuuin." Yuu replied.

"Author of 'The Kan?'" Daiki said with a grin. "Nice."

"Gay." Sora barked flatly, immediately gathering every gaze in the room.

"Okay, now you're kidding right?" Daiki said with a befuddled look.

"Nope. Gay as a rainbow." Sora replied. Daiki turned over towards Hisashi with a raised eyebrow and the blonde shrugged.

"He's right."

"In fact," Yuu smiled. "Hisashi and I were just discussing his infamous 'creeper face' the other day."

The blonde shuddered at the thought.

"I thank god every day I'm not his type." He muttered. Daiki turned to Sora, shaking her head in disgust and awe.

"How the hell do you do that?"

"I told you," Sora replied. "I have the most finely tuned gaydar in the world. Watch."

The girl extended a hand and pointed to Hisashi.

"Beep."

She pointed to Yuu.

"Beep. Beep."

She then pointed next to her at Setsuna.

"BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP!"

Setsuna's pale face immediately burned red and she stood irritably.

"I'm going home." She muttered, grabbing her coat off the back of the couch.

"Oh come on," Sora rolled her eyes.

"I mean it!"

"Cool it you two," Daiki barked. "And Sora, stop outing people without their permission! If Setsuna wants to bang that girl at the yogurt shop then that's none of our business."

Setsuna's eyes widened and she sank back down onto the couch, looking mortified. Sora scoffed under her breath and patted her shoulder.

"Why don't you just ask her out already? You two would be cute together."

"We haven't even really met each other yet. I don't know if she would be into it…"

Sora raised a highly skeptical eyebrow.

"Tsu here's a life lesson for you: when somebody gives you your yogurt _free of charge_ not once, not twice, but _three times_ it's pretty safe to say they wouldn't mind bumping uglies."

"Sora!" Setsuna yelled, smacking her hand away.

"Okay girls," Renaka sighed, getting up out of her recliner. "Try to keep the conversation out of the gutter while I make us some tea and coffee."

Seeing an opportunity for private conversation, Yuu stood and followed her towards the kitchen.

"I'll give you a hand with that."

Sensing some sort of intent, Renaka smiled and beckoned him.

"Thank you, Yuu-kun."

The two headed out of the room and just as he rounded the corner into the kitchen, Yuu's ear caught Daiki speaking.

"You know Hisashi, I bet if you works out a bit you'd be able to gain a bit more weight. It would increase your metabolism."

"My metabolism is the reason I can't put on weight." The blonde shot back.

"Muscle weighs more than fat you know. You oughta' try lifting a dumbbell once in a blue moon. I could even give you and your boyfriend a free trial session while you're here."

"Let's make a deal: I'll start working out when you stop drinking booze."

"I'll stop drinking booze when you stop drinking coffee you little smart ass!"

* * *

**Wow. I simply cannot believe it has been two months since I updated this. It just kept getting put on the backburner again and again and then I'm like Oh Noes! D: Must continue!**

**In case this eluded you, I finally did a cover for this story :) Hope it pleases. You can view the fullsize image on my deviant art account at theblackflamingo101 dotdeviantart dotcom.  
**

**Thank you guys for all your awesome reviews :) Hope you keep enjoying the weirdness, though we still have a menagerie of flavors to explore in this tale. **

**With love, **

**TBF101**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello everyone and thank you so much for your reviews and your patience with this story :) I realize we've been moving kind of slow, but I've been editing a lot of my material for upcoming chapters so updates are a bit slow.  
**

**But rest assured, next chapter will focus solely on the Artistica couple instead of the side characters. Thank you all for your support!  
**

**With Love,  
**

**TBF101  
**

**P.s. If you haven't noticed, yourfanfiction went under so I've put all my lemons back up in my stories. So chapter three contains the actual chapter and not the notice.  
**

* * *

**Chapter Ten: Frozen**

"How did breakfast go?" Renaka asked as they both entered the kitchen, immediately sensing the topic Yuu wanted to discuss.

"It was nice, but _strange_." Yuu replied, helping Renaka take a couple mugs out of the cupboard. "I never expected Hisashi's parents to be so…_diverse._"

"Hah, neither did I when they moved in. Atsushi was very used to strange growing up with me and those four, but even he was shocked to his core when Hiroshi-san bounded over to our yard and hugged him the first time all of us met. I was too, though personally the fact that he was married to such a 'traditional' woman surprised me more, though not as much as Hisashi's condition."

"What…was he like? He's only told me a little."

"Very quiet and very stressed," Renaka sighed. "Having his stepbrother die so suddenly and moving to a strange place was hard on him. They pulled him out of school and according to Saki some days he could barely get out of bed.

"Most of his doctors said it was onset childhood depression, but he was also very panicky, so I always thought it was something more. Though my personal diagnosis of him caused more problems than it solved."

"What do you mean?"

Renaka's elegant brow creased with an emotion Yuu had never seen from her: regret.

"Since I know how much you care for Hisashi, I'll lay it all on the table for you. I wasn't in the greatest state myself when they moved next door. Katsuya had passed a mere six months before after ten years of slowly dying. Saki had just lost her only son in car accident and wanted to love Hiroshi's son like her own. We were both craving something to nurture and he was the perfect target.

"But, because of our obvious differences, we had very conflicted ideas on how we should 'help' Hisashi. I know we both seem very level-headed now, but back then our disagreements could get very heated and loud. Hiroshi was often away on business and there really was no one there to buffer the arguments. As a result, Hisashi's condition worsened. I'm sure you've noticed this, but he simply can't stand fighting."

Yuu paused at the revelation. It made sense, however since the couple had never gotten in a serious fight before, he didn't have any idea how the blonde would react.

"I guess I can see that. He tends to absorb atmosphere so yelling would probably set him off."

"It doesn't 'set him off' exactly," Renaka said quietly as she heated water for the tea and turned on the coffee maker. "He freezes. Puts on a blank face and tries to tune it all out."

Yuu leaned against the counter, silently nodding as Hisashi's blunt affect was something he had seen on several occasions.

"Saki and I both share the blame, but the thing we are most ashamed of is that we never really noticed how much our arguing bothered Hisashi. It didn't hit us until he started disappearing."

Yuu raised an eyebrow.

"Disappearing?"

"Sometimes he'd vanish for entire days. And when he did come out of hiding he wouldn't tell us where he'd been. We tried to keep a tighter lid on his movements, but we'd always lose track of him. Saki was scared to death he would run away and we were at our wit's end. That's when I finally found a way to reach him."

Yuu nodded, putting the pieces together.

"Atsushi."

"Yes," She replied. "One day we found him playing in his room and talking to himself. He always liked to act out his favorite animes so it wasn't unnatural for him to be vocal. We went in and I asked him where Hisashi was. He just calmly looked up at me and said 'in his safe place, and he's not coming out until you promise to stop fighting.'"

"You're kidding."

Renaka shook her head in utter disbelief.

"I couldn't comprehend it. Naturally we interrogated him for almost an hour, but my boy was every bit as stubborn as me. He didn't budge until Saki and I solemnly swore not to argue anymore and gave each other a hug."

"So, where was he hiding?" Yuu asked with a slight smile.

"In Atsushi's closet with a pile of coloring books, snacks, and a CD player with headphones. Even if we hadn't found him Sushi had him set for life."

Yuu's smile grew wider at the mental image of the curly little blonde cozied up in a dark closet and Renaka mirrored it back.

"Yes, despite the implications, it was adorable. And to put the rest in a nutshell, it took us a while, but Saki and I have met each other halfway on some issues and agreed to disagree on all the others."  
"That's good." Yuu commented, relieved that at least there wouldn't be tension between those particular parties. "From our brief meeting it was obvious she's a very traditional woman."

"And I'm a very unorthodox woman," Renaka countered with a little chuckle. "Though it's no wonder, considering I wasn't raised here."

"Really?"

"I was born here, but I actually lived in America until I was ten and then I went back for half of high school and college."

"Somehow I can see that," Yuu smiled.

"Yep, though my parents made sure I got all the Japanese culture they could shove down my throat. Even still, a lot of it didn't stick."

"Where did you live in America?"

"San Francisco in California."

Having heard of the place from tales of the gay community, Yuu's sharp mind put a few more pieces together.

"No wonder you're open about orientation."

"Are you kidding?" She said. "I'm actually a little thrilled both my sons turned out to be rainbow men. My best friend back in college was gay. But San Fran, like any place, wasn't entirely open to homosexuals back then and I saw firsthand the torment he endured. One time someone on campus had the audacity to spray paint 'fag' on his door."

Yuu's lips tightened, familiar with the English context of the word.

"What did you do?"

"What else?" She muttered. "Tracked the jackass down and keyed his convertible. I would've slashed his tires but security was too tight."

The brunette's eyebrows lifted as Renaka took the fresh pot of coffee and poured herself a cup, all the while pondering other pro-homo things she had done in college. Though she wasn't about to tell Yuu the time she and her friend had painted themselves rainbow and ran naked across the Golden Gate Bridge. Even if she was rather proud of that memory, as the police hadn't been able to catch them.

"What was this friend's name?" Yuu asked. "You didn't say."

"Steve," Renaka replied, with the slightest hint of a smile. Yuu lips parted in a brief scoff and he glanced at the dozing Labrador at the far end of the kitchen.

"But as much as I liked America, I ended up coming back after I graduated because of my interest in the manga business and things went on from there. I met Katsuya, debuted my fantasy series, and had Atsushi. I've always intended to go back and visit the states, but I've never had the chance, especially in these past couple years. Though maybe now that Hisashi is settled with you I'll go take a sunny vacation."

"He told me that you actually home-schooled Atsushi and him. What was that like?"

"Well," Renaka said, grabbing a serving tray and piling the mugs on it. "The apple doesn't fall from the tree, or rather the tree won't _let_ the apple. Atsushi got his first Mohawk right as he entered school and the teacher insisted we cut it off. From there it escalated into me realizing she was a small minded idiot and not wanting my son to be taught in an uncreative, shallow, conformist environment. Hisashi never did well in such crowded rooms either, not to mention the constant pestering he got, so his parents and I agreed I would do the same for him. Though considering they did their school work along side my assistants, it was inevitable that they would end up in the manga business. They knew all the shades of toner before they could even remember their times tables."

Yuu smiled at this, but when Renaka turned to him with a bewildered look, he frowned.

"Has Hisashi-chan talked to you about anything since you got here?"

"You mean how he's feeling about being back? Not really."

"Mmm," Renaka mused. "Maybe he's just trying to process it all but…I worry when he's so quiet."

"But isn't that how he copes with things?" Yuu asked.

"Most of the time yes but…usually, or at least around people he trusts, he's able to at least convey how he's feeling. It's when he locks himself up that he's in deep water."

Yuu swallowed at this and unconsciously turned back towards the entrance to the living room, and was slightly surprised as a disgruntled blonde ducked inside.

"What's up?" Renaka asked.

"Sora used the words 'flavored condoms' in a sentence." Hisashi grumbled with a slight shudder.

"All right," She sighed, grabbing the loaded tray. "We're coming. Sora! What did I tell you about keeping the details of your sex life to yourself?!"

* * *

Despite the various and somewhat avant-garde personalities of Renaka's assistants, the group enjoyed a couple hours of catching up and discussing the pros and cons manga trade, as well as a brief conversation from Daiki about raw food diets and Sora giving Setsuna absurd lesbian pick up lines for the yogurt shop girl.

But as early afternoon approached, Renaka thought it time to give the visiting couple a break and send the girls on their way. Though the three of them could hardly leave without having yet another deviant argument on the way out.

"We should totally hit the clubs tonight!" Sora said as she pulled on a pair of green chucks.

"NO CLUBS!" Renaka barked furiously. "You're on probation!"

"We weren't going to drink," Sora said in an unconvincing innocent voice. "We were just going to sit quietly, drink Shirley Temples, and watch Daiki arm wrestle every macho guy in the joint."

"_No clubs!"_

"I don't wanna go anyway," Setsuna muttered, pulling on a leather jacket and storming out the door, thoroughly embarrassed by everyone's talk of her crush.

"Oh don't be like that sourpuss," Sora called, heading out after her. "Come on! Let's go to the yogurt shop!"

Daiki sighed at the two, giving Renaka a one-armed hug.

"Dai-chan," Renaka sighed. "Please be the responsible one."

"Always am," Daiki grinned.

"Especially when you're riding those things. I see two new dents in your helmet!"

Daiki's grin faded and she nodded sheepishly as she joined the other two outside to ride their bikes back to Sapporo. Renaka came back into the living room and flopped on her recliner as Hisashi turned the TV on, sinking into the loveseat with Yuu.

"Renaka-san," Yuu asked as he steered Hisashi's head to rest on his shoulder. "How on earth have you put up with this for so long?"

The mangaka sighed, brushing back some of her ebony hair.

"You're guess is as good as mine."

* * *

**Thanks for reading :) Would love to hear from you!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven: Smashed**

Yuu adjusted the radio station in the car as it wove out of the outskirts and into the bright lights of Sapporo. Renaka had suggested that afternoon it might be good for the two of them to get out and Yuu had agreed. The mangaka had lent the two her spare car, which Hisashi was driving. Every once in a while the blond glanced at the directions from the internet Yuu had written down. Having lived in the area, Hisashi had tried to convince Yuu that there wasn't much of a night life in Sapporo. But knowing the blond's hermit tendencies, Yuu was unconvinced and soon had located several gay bars on the internet that the two could go that night. Hisashi had still been a little vicarious about the idea, but Yuu had pressed that they could use some time together.

Knowing the city pretty well, Hisashi was able to locate the place Yuu had picked easily, which was a smaller bar in the downtown area. Knowing Hisashi abhorred things like dancing and loud music, Yuu had picked a quieter place (from the reviews on the internet at least). They also served food, and knowing Hisashi had a weakness for the fried and unhealthy, Yuu thought maybe he could coax some calories into the thin form. Hisashi hadn't eaten much at lunch, which both his boyfriend and adopted mother noticed.

Naturally, besides spending time with his partner, Yuu did have ulterior motives for the get out. Despite the fact that outwardly Hisashi was handling everything okay, Yuu could see subtle signs of stress piling up and he hoped a different atmosphere might get him to talk.

The bar was a bit more crowded that Yuu thought it would be, but he still managed to spot a booth in the back as they came in through the door. Seeing the subtle looks the two garnered from the solitary patrons at the bar (especially the doe eyed blond), Yuu flipped on his seme senses and took Hisashi's hand, leading him to the back corner.

"What do you want?" Yuu asked as Hisashi slid into the booth. The blond stuffed his hands in his hoodie pockets before replying.

"Beer, I guess."

"Want any food?"

Hisashi shrugged and Yuu went back up front to place their order. He got a beer himself and also asked for an appetizer of fried tofu, determined that some vittles were going to get in his boyfriend's stomach that night. Yuu took their drinks and headed back to the table, and his teeth gritted as he noticed a tall, somewhat drunk patron making his way towards their booth. However when they ran into each other, Yuu's eyes flared crimson and the stranger slunk off, as those irises had clearly communicated that the booth and the blonde were both his.

"Dick," Yuu muttered under his breath as he sat down next to Hisashi and handed him his drink (naturally the blond had been far too absorbed in staring at nothing to notice the attempted advance).

"Hmm?" He grunted back.

"Nothing," Yuu said, swallowing a mouthful of beer. The two sat in silence for a bit, just taking in the dim atmosphere of the place, though Hisashi seemed to perk up a bit once their appetizer came out. Feeling a little hungry now that the smell of grease hit his nose, he began to pick at the food. Yuu watched him carefully, waiting and sipping his drink for the right time to approach him. Surprisingly, Hisashi had already downed his entire glass, as his German blood always seemed to kick in around booze. And though Yuu knew he could hold his liquor, a light flush had started seeping into Hisashi's pale face. He did seem a little more relaxed, if not talkative, so Yuu finally took the plunge.

"Is it nice being back home?" Yuu asked, scooting over and wrapping his arm around his boyfriend. Hisashi swallowed another bite of tofu and nodded.

"Yeah, I guess."

"You tired?" Yuu smiled. "We had a long day."

"No kidding. Handing my parents and Renaka's girls all in one day is a chore in itself," The blond muttered.

"They seemed friendly enough though. They clearly all miss you."

Hisashi pondered this for a second and nodded.

"Yeah…I guess they do. Though to tell you the truth it sort of doesn't feel like home anymore. I kinda miss my apartment."

Yuu chuckled.

"Don't worry, it'll still be messy when we get back."

Hisashi snorted and stole a drink from Yuu's mostly full beer. The brunet let him, though they would certainly would have to curb their alcohol intake if they wanted to drive back to Renaka's tonight. Yuu let Hisashi eat some more, but noticed quickly that the topic of their conversation wasn't what he'd hoped. The blond didn't seem to be taking to their vacation well, in fact, he was already talking about going back to Tokyo, and it bothered Yuu.

"Hisashi," He said as the blond downed the rest of Yuu's drink. "Are you…doing all right?"

"I'm fine." The blond said in a slightly heavier voice.

"You don't seem fine. Look, it's got to be hard on you being reminded of Atsushi so much, and I want you to tell me if it is so I can help you."

Hisashi turned his slurry blue eyes to his boyfriend and pointed to the empty glasses.

"We're out of beeeer."

Yuu sighed.

"We can get more Sashi, but you should eat more first. You'll throw up if you drink on an empty stomach."

"Fine," The blonde replied, popping another piece of tofu into his mouth. Once the rest of the appetizer was gone, Yuu got their beers refilled, only to have Hisashi drink both of them again. It soon became clear to Yuu that Hisashi wasn't drinking to relax, he was drinking to get drunk. And the responsible Yuu knew he had to put a stop to it. This wasn't like other times at their apartment where they were having fun and maybe had a little too much wine and drunken sex. Hisashi was hardly saying anything even through his dazed expression and seemed to have no regard for himself or his boyfriend.

"Yuuuuu," Hisashi slurred when the booze ran dry again. "Top me off will ya'?"

"No way," Yuu said. "I'm cutting you off. We're going to leave as soon as I pay the bill."

"Leave?"

"Yes. We're going to find a hotel and spend the night here. There's no way I'm letting you drive."

" 'M fine Yuu."

"My ass. Come on."

Yuu slid out of the booth and held out his hand to Hisashi, who waved it away but nearly toppled over as he tried to stand. Yuu draped Hisashi's arm over his shoulder and supported him as they made their way out. And Yuu's face darkened as that same dick guy from earlier barked a laugh and winked at them both.

"Hey boys, if you're into wood I got enough for the both of you. I don't even mind fucking a guy who's completely smashed."

Yuu's eyes snarled at him again, but he replied crisply.

"Why don't you and your wood get bent before it offends the wrong person?"

The guy's eyes widened and he was about to stammer a reply, but the two had already gone out the door.

* * *

About an hour later, Yuu laid a nearly asleep Hisashi onto the double bed in their hotel room, sighing at his disheveled state. Luckily there had been a decent hotel only a few blocks away, but Yuu had inwardly vowed to learn to drive upon his return to Tokyo so this wouldn't happen again. He'd thought taking Hisashi out would be a good thing, but it turned out to be a big mistake. That idiot had probably figured Yuu would try and get something out of him and decided to drown himself in beer.

Yuu sat down on the edge of the bed with a sigh. Did Hisashi really not trust him enough to talk to him? Sure it was difficult sometimes to get him to express his discomfort, but this was entirely new territory. Hisashi was deliberately avoiding him and that made Yuu worry.

He carefully leaned over the blond, brushing back a few of his sweat-damp curls.

"I love you, Sashi. Can't you see that?" He whispered.

The faint blond stirred a little bit and leaned into Yuu's touch.

"…Atsushi?"

Yuu's eyes widened and he leaned closer.

"No, it's me…Yuu."

"Oh," Hisashi moaned in relief. "Sorry…I keep seeing his face…when I close my eyes."

"Is that bothering you?" Yuu asked gently.

"He's haunting me," Hisashi gasped, his lower lip quivering. "I can't see past him…It's all my fault."

"No it's not, Sa-chan," Yuu murmured, using his special nickname for the blond. He tenderly leaned down and kissed the pale forehead. "It's not your fault. Everything's going to be all right."

"I miss him…" The blonde quivered, turning onto his side. "But I just want him to go away…"

Hisashi's body gave a distinct shudder and Yuu quickly pulled the covers over him. He carefully watched the blond's face as he stripped off his own clothes, and saw the thin body relax into a drunken slumber. He slid in next to his boyfriend, kissing his cheek and wrapping his arms around him. But the more he stared at Hisashi's face and thought about what he said, the more distorted his expression became. And such an ache blossomed in his head that he too now wished he had drunk more.

* * *

**Hello everyone! Thank you all so much for your favs and reviews! Hope you enjoy the chapter, though as you can see, angst is on the horizon. **  
**Hope to hear from you all! It really makes my day :)**

**Love, **

**TBF101**


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